It is twenty-two hours thirty Universal Time and here is the news in Special English. ▼ Islamist militants attacked a hotel in Mogadishu on Tuesday. The government said more than thirty people were killed. The victims included four parliament members. The Somali militant group al-Shabab claimed responsibility for the attack through its spokesman. Witnesses told VOA Somali service that three armed men attacked the Muna Hotel at about ten in the morning local time. They say the men shot two guards outside the hotel before entering and shooting from room to room. The hotel is popular among lawmakers and government officials.
The United States Marine Corps commander says it will likely take several more years to give security duty to Afghan forces in two southern provinces. General James Conway says some American forces in Afghanistan probably will give fighting duties to Afghan forces in twenty eleven. But, he says that probably will not include Marines battling resistance fighters in Helmand and Kandahar. He said President Obama's decision to reduce United States troops in Afghanistan by July of next year has given Taliban fighters some hope. But, he noted that the Taliban will be surprised when they realize that American forces will be remaining in large numbers. The last of thirty thousand additional troops sent to Afghanistan will arrive at the end of next month.
The Obama administration has praised the importance of United States troop decreases in Iraq. The military announced that the number of American troops in Iraq has dropped to below fifty thousand. The total meets a target set for August thirty-first. That is the administration's time limit for what it describes as the end of fighting operations in the country. The military made the announcement on Tuesday. A White House official said the decrease in American troops shows the ability of Iraqi forces to keep order although violence and terrorist attacks continue. United States forces will advise and train Iraqi security forces until the end of twenty eleven. At that time, all United States troops must withdraw.
Chinese state media say forty-two bodies have been recovered from an airplane that crashed and burned in the country's northeast. Xinhua news agency reports that officials say forty-nine others were rescued and taken to a hospital. Three people were reported seriously injured. The report says the Hunan [Henan] Airlines plane had been trying to land in thick fog at an airport at Yichun city in Heilongjiang Province. The plane left from Harbin city and crashed a little more than one hour later. Xinhua says the plane was carrying ninety-one passengers and five crew members. Other reports, however, say a total of ninety-one people were on the plane.
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Suspected Russian arms dealer Victor Bout is expected to be sent from a jail in Thailand to the United States on Wednesday. He is to send trial in America on charges of trying to illegally sell high technology weapons to American agents he thought were Colombian rebels. Security officials in Bangkok have confirmed reports that Mr. Bout will be sent to the United States soon, but few details are available. Last week, Thailand's highest appeals court ordered that Mr. Bout be sent to the United States for trial. Russia has strongly opposed the move. Experts believe the suspect has deep knowledge of Russian intelligence and military operations around the world over the last twenty years.
A small passenger airplane traveling to Mt. Everest in eastern Nepal has crashed in heavy rain. All fourteen people on the plane were killed. Officials say the plane crashed Tuesday south of Nepal's capital, Kathmandu. Officials say four Americans and a Briton and a Japanese were among those killed. The passengers were returning to Katmandu after bad weather prevented the plane from landing at Lukla in eastern Nepal.
Housing sales in the United States fell sharply in July. The National Association of Realtors said existing home sales dropped twenty-seven percent from June. That is their lowest level in fifteen years. Many economists say weak housing and job creation are slowing the economic recovery and could lead to another recession.
People are voting in five American states to nominate candidates for the general election in November. Republican Senators John McCain of Arizona and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska both face opposition. Senator McCain is expected to easily defeat J.D. Hayworth in a Republican nominating election. In Alaska, Senator Lisa Murkowski faces opponent Joe Miller. Mr. Miller has the support of former Alaska Governor Sarah Palin. Florida voters will choose a Democratic candidate for the United States Senate. Lawmaker Kendrick Meek is running against property investor Jeff Greene. The winner will face Republican candidate Marco Rubio and current Governor Charlie Crist. Mr. Crist is running independently from the two main parties.
Chilean officials say thirty-three miners trapped in a mine have not been told that they will likely have to wait months before they are rescued. They are trapped in an area seven hundred meters underground. Engineers are preparing to cut a sixty-two-centimeter-wide rescue passage. But, they say the work could take four months because of the depth and insecurity of the mine. Rescue workers said Tuesday the miners are receiving food, water and medicine through two holes. Officials spoke with the miners late Monday using a newly placed communications system. The men have told officials that they are fine. The men were found alive Sunday after being trapped for more than two weeks in a mine near the city of Copiapo. ▲ Here again is the major news. In Somalia, al-Qaida-linked militants are claiming responsibility for an attack on a hotel in Mogadishu which killed at least thirty-one people. Reports say four members of Somalia's parliament are among the dead. And, Chinese media say forty-two bodies have been recovered from an airplane that crashed in northeast China. That's the news in VOA Special English. Source: VOA Special English August 24, 2010 2230 UTC
